Morristown active shooter drill seeks to sure up security at the school

MORRISTOWN – Law enforcement officers from across St. Lawrence County descended on Morristown Central School Friday afternoon to take part in an active shooter drill, testing and strengthening the schools readiness in the event of a school shooting.

The drill comes as Morristown prepares to make a $100,000 upgrade to its security system, including the addition of an air-lock front entrance and buzzer system that will better regulate the flow of traffic.

The district is also looking at changing out classroom doors to ensure they can all be locked from the inside as well as making the windows on doors smaller, giving less visibility to would-be killers.

These upgrades are expected to be installed over the summer.

Were here trying to teach kids to be the best they can be, and youve got to worry about getting shot at? Unfortunately yes, Superintendent David J. Glover said.

The drill was organized by the state police and saw officers responding from Ogdensburg, Gouverneur, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol and the Sheriffs Department.

This is the way we can find out whats broken so we can get it fixed, State police Sgt. Chad K. Niles said.

Faculty from the school played teachers and students with help from the Morristown Volunteer Fire Department and the Gouverneur Correction Facility, which sent officers over to play students.

Shooters armed with starter pistols and a semi-automatic M4 loaded with blanks stormed the building at 12:45 p.m., killing roughly five people and firing more than 50 rounds before being taken out.

One of the shooters was killed on the second floor of the building while another was shot in the library. Law enforcement officers used fake, plastic rifles and pistols.